Live like a legend and die like an asshole

So-

Long weekend, or so it seems. I guess only having class two days a week makes all weekends seem long. Not that I don't have a full schedule of classes (12 credit hours this semester), I just scheduled them all to end before 3 pm on the two days that I do have classes. Granted, I guess weekends will start seeming much shorter when I begin working at Outback 5 days a week. This week is my orientation , which should be pretty interesting I guess. Then at least I get to see any attractive women that immediately become off-limits. Awesome.

Seeing Against Me! this weekend was definitely an amazing time. That is one band that never disappoints any time I see them. Talk about a live band with tremendous energy, and who mixes setlists to near perfection. This was my fifth time seeing them, and even I heard songs that I hadn't heard live previously, which is always good. Still looking out for them to play "Pretty Girls (The Mover)", but it can't be too far out right?

So recently, I came into possession of a bicycle for the first time in quite a while. This actually excites me quite a bit. I used to love riding a bike as a little kid, and just cruising around seeing the various things to see, and I think I lost a lot of that when I started just relying on cars for transportation. Not for nothing, but driving an SUV like mine is just really expensive. If I can run short errands and not have to actually drive, but merely bike (grocery store, hot dog heaven, going to friends' houses, etc), I could probably end up saving a lot of gas. Already, I've noticed how much less gas I've used driving to and from campus since I started taking the shuttle in the morning. So, this is reasonably exciting.

Have you ever been in a place where you've felt really fucking old compared to everyone else? I mean, I don't even mean in the sense of just physical age (otherwise, I would probably feel really young all the time), but in terms of maturity as well. Last night at the show was pretty disconcerting; the number of small kids was absolutely staggering compared to any previous AM! headlining show I'd seen. I mean literally, kids that were 11-14 years old. I guess my main question is, what happened?

The House of Blues chain. That's what happened. In my mind, it isn't the Warped Tour, or the fact that there are a bunch of crotch licking dildos wearing tight jeans which will eventually (and hopefully) make them sterile, or even the fact that file-sharing has become such a ridiculously popular practice that is making rock music lamer with each day; it's the fact that we have no choice but to go to these giant, corporate monoliths to be able to hear the same bands that we saw just a few years ago rocking the small independent clubs.

This isn't about "selling out". At least not in the sense that most people are probably thinking. I'm all for a band trying to get their message and their music out to as many people as possible, using whatever means they see fit. It's all good to me, as long as they stay true to themselves. What upsets me is the sheer volume of independent clubs eventually selling themselves off to these giant corporate conglomerates just to cash in while they still can. It's hard times for everyone, and while I can't blame the clubs that are forced to shut down, I do blame the ones who sell off their thriving independent venue to a corporation who turns the small, local, fun independent club into a horribly run corporate entity with ridiculous rules about photography of any sort and the "no moshing" rules that pervade some of the venues.

Don't get me wrong: it is good in a sense that parents feel safer sending their kids to a venue with padded barricades, but it's also bad in the fact that you get a bunch of dipshit 14-year olds who don't understand what it means to be at a rock show. So many of them are shocked and infuriated by the fact that some of us like to get fucking rowdy and have a great time during a band, and that the front of the crowd is not a great place to be if you are looking to have a mellow time with your girlfriend. Sometimes, I've felt like going to shows and just relaxing back and watching the music, but in this case, I would have the common courtesy to step back and allow those who really want to get intimate with the band (or as intimate as you can get with nearly 10 feet between the barricade and the stage), to be up front, where they can cause all the trouble they want.

Shows are not a fashion show. The front row of a venue is not the place to be if you don't want to be thrown around a bit and possible get battered and bruised. Shows are not a place for senseless bickering because someone pushed you. Shows shouldn't be a place to be inside your comfort zone, because there should be nothing comfortable about rock music. Push your boundaries and express yourself the way you like, as long as it is not directly and forcibly hurting someone else. Grow up and learn to deal with those around you that you might not always care for, because they will always be there, no matter where you end up.

Now, time for the next edition in "what Joe happens to like a lot right now"

Save-A-Lot
Man, talk about a great fucking grocery store. Yeah, it's a chain, but it's a chain without the ridiculous mark up that even Walmart has. I mean really, $2.50 for a gallon of milk is absolutely unheard of in this day and age, but alas, Save-A-Lot has it. 16 slices of American cheese for 99 cents? Um, fuck and yes? 16 hot dogs for 99 cents? Absofuckinglutely yes. Sunny Delight for 99 cents? They have it. Fucking great store, I'll only shop there and at Sam's ever again I do believe.

Miller High Life Tall Boys
Yeah it's high life. Yes, it can also be really disgusting. But for some reason, this is one beer that just tastes better in the can, and especially when four pints are 2.79. I just can't really explain it, but this is a tremendously good beer when cold. The only thing that sucks is that, for fall, they painted the gold parts of the can to have like a camouflage theme. I saw this and immediately wondered what pooped on my beer. Yeah I know. I'm a drunk idiot, and probably wrong about High Life being so great. But I'm better looking than you, so get over it.

Facial hair
Not having shaved for upwards of two weeks now, I'm actually enjoying the whole beard growth thing. It's pretty sick.

Having a clean room
I actually have a really cluttered and messy room right now, but I figure if I post this here, it'll make me look at it long enough that I'll eventually get sick of it and finally get around to cleaning. But, I do surmise that when I finally get around to cleaning my room, I'll probably greatly enjoy the flexibility that having a clean room grants me.

Toodles,

Joe